MENSWEAR DESIGNER

THE IDEA OF 'IDENTITY' HAS REGULARLY PIQUED MY INTEREST WHETHER CONSCIOUSLY APPROACHING THE TOPIC BECAUSE OF 1ST HAND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT 'COMING OUT' OF THE CLOSET AND WANTING TO DELVE DEEPER INTO SOCIETAL BEHAVIOURS. WE CHANGE AND GROW DUE TO MANY SIMULTANEOUS FACTORS; SHIELDING OURSELVES FROM HARM BY ADOPTING CHARACTERISTICS TO AVOID DISCRIMINATION IN VARYING FORMS WHETHER THAT BE LOOKING, TALKING, THINKING A CERTAIN WAY TO CONFORM TO THE MASSES AND REMAIN UNDER THE RADAR.

 

I PARTICULARLY ENJOYED RESEARCHING CHARLES FREGERS 'THE WILDER MANN A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS DOCUMENTING ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO FOR ONE DAY A YEAR DONNED TRADITIONAL COSTUMES TO TRANSFORM INTO A DIFFERENT CHARACTER. TAKING ON VARYING FORMS FROM NATURE THAT TO OUTSIDERS SEEMED GHOULISH AND ARCHAIC NOTIONS. THE IDEA STILL RANG THROUGH THAT WE CAN ADAPT CHARACTERISTICS FROM ALL AROUND US WHICH CAN REPRESENT PERSONAS WE WOULD LIKE TO SHOW THE WORLD IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR OWN AT TIMES; VULNERABLE IDENTITiES. THIS CAN TAKE THE SHAPE ALL ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF CHANGE FROM DRESSING IN MUTED COLOURING TO REMAIN UNNOTICED TO A DRAG PERFORMING WEARING A GENDER BENDING COSTUME AND TAKING ON A PERSONA (AN ALTER EGO) WHICH CAN ABSORB ANY NEGATIVITY AIMED AT THEM LEAVING THE PERSON UNDERNEATH UNSCATHED.

 

THROUGH MY RESEARCH I LOOKED INTO THE VERY IDEA OF IDENTITY, HOW WE CAN MANIPULATE IT SO FREELY AND HOW LITTLE NUANCES LIKE FACIAL HAIR, GLASSES OR WHAT COLOUR YOU CHOOSE TO WEAR ALL CAN INFLUENCE HOW YOU ARE PERCEIVED AND MAKE UP YOUR IDENTITY TO THE WORLD; WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH THE JUDGEMENT OR NOT.

 

IN THIS A/W COLLECTION I EXPANDED ON THE SAID IDEALS AND WANTED TO CREATE A LAYERING OF FABRICS HONING IN ON TEXTURES OF FUR, WOOL AND DEPTH WITH PLEATING. THE CLOTHING BOTH SHIELDS AND EXPOSES THE WEARER, I WANTED TO WARP THE SILHOUETTE, OVERSIZED LAYERING WITH CROPPED SLEEVES AND ELONGATED HEMLINES HIGHLIGHT PANELS, COLOUR BLOCKING AND PRINT IDEALS. THIS MENSWEAR COLLECTION IS A PLAYFUL MIX OF BOLD HUES, DRAMATIC TAILORING OVER TONGUE IN CHEEK CARTOON MOTIFS.